From the Blacklist Support Group
Blacklist Support Group is a network of building workers across various unions who have been affected by the Consulting Association blacklisting scandal. We are the actual individuals whose lives have been ruined by the vindictive actions of major UK construction firms who over decades systematically organised a covert blacklist to deny trade unionists work.
We represent the vast majority of workers (virtually all of them) who are currently taking Employment Tribunal claims against the major contractors. We intend to campaign for justice for blacklisted workers by demanding the strongest possible legislation, retrospective compensation and by fully exploring every legal and campaigning avenue to expose the corrupt activities of the major building contractors.
Any building workers should call the Information Commissioner’s Office 01625-545745 to check whether they are on the Consulting Association Blacklist
Campaign Dates for your diary
Tues 20th October 12noon – House of Commons
Launch of Ruined Lives: UCATT sponsored Report into blacklisting by Professor Keith Ewing (Institute of Employment Rights)
Speakers:
Alan Ritchie UCATT General Secretary
Prof. Keith Ewing
Wed 21st Oct – Royal Courts of Justice,The Strand
Blacklisted electrician Steve Acheson is in court under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. Scottish & Southern Energy are applying for an Injunction to stop Steve’s peacful protest after his dismissal from Fiddlers Ferry power station. Steve lost his job because of the construction industry blacklist, the documentary evidence of the blacklisting appears in Steve’s personal file received from the ICO.
Steve is a trade unionists NOT a terrorist.
If this Injunction goes through it willhave far reaching impact for trade unions.
Assemble 9:30am to show your support and for press interviews.
Monday 9th November 7:30pm – Justice for Shrewsbury Pickets, London Welsh Centre, 157 Grays Inn Road, London
The most notorious episode in blacklisting of trade unionists in UK history. The Shrewsbury pickets suffered a miscarraige of justice which saw them charged, found guilty and imprisoned for “conspiracy”. This was a vindictive employer led political show trial after a day of peaceful picketing during the 1972 national building workers strike.
Speakers include:
Terry Renshaw (Shrewsbury Picket)
Vic Turner (Pentonville 5)
Dave Smith (Blacklist Support Group)
John Hendy QC
John McDonnell MP
Professor Mary Davis
Jerry Swaine (UCATT London Region Sec)
Sat 14th November – Construction Safety Campaign AGM, St Aloysius Social Club, Phoenix Road, Euston, NW1
Tues 24th November – Manchester Employment Tribunal
Every blacklisting case to have reached the Employment Tribunal has been consolidated into one mass Case Management Discussion in Manchester. This has the potential to be a major media circus show-trial – Shrewsbury but this time with the building employers in the dock for conspiracy. This is a private hearing but many blacklisted workers will be at the court
Show your support / press from 9am
Blacklist Support Group
3 Comments
On discovering, via a good friend in the UK, that a Mr Ian Kerr had been successfully prosecuted for supplying lists of “Activists” i.e. those regarded by him as ‘Tr0uble makers’ to Construction employers, I immediately wrote to the “Information Commissioners Office” in an effort to discover if my name was on the lists that had come into their possession, that was in mid September, I have, as yet, had no reply. It is unlikely that my name would have been on his list as I finished in the Industry in 1984, due to being blacklisted, then it was ”The Economic League’ and ‘ The Aims of Industry’ who provided the information to the employers. Mr Kerr is only the latest head of the Hydra to be severed, no doubt there will be others ready and willing to take his place as it is a lucrative occupation.
Rory
The employment tribunal hearing in Manchester is not private. Members of the Press and public are allowed into the hearing. Could you please amend the message you have posted regards the hearing being private. It would be good to get as many people who are interested in the issue to come along and hear what is being said. Any problems with this please get back to me.
Dooley
michael ibelieve we have met your 84 retirement does not mean they have no info ring the ico again ,unless it is to late ,some peoples records go back to the early seventies regards johnw